What Does Your Engine’s Oil Say About Your Vehicle?

Getting your oil changed is a necessary function of owning and maintaining a vehicle. Looking at used oil can tell you a lot about how well your engine and other components are working, but you have to do more than just look. An oil analysis breaks down what’s in your oil, identifying things like engine wear, contaminants, and how well the oil does its job. Never had an oil analysis? Keep reading to learn more about how it works and what it can tell you about your vehicle.

What Does Engine Oil Do?

Engine oil helps reduce friction on the moving parts of your engine. It’s a lubricant that keeps your engine healthy, clean, and functional. Without oil, your engine won’t last because it’s made of metal that will rub together and quickly wear down. Vehicles with an internal combustion engine or hybrid system require an oil change at regular intervals, which can vary depending on your vehicle type.

Analyzing Your Oil

Once oil runs its course through your engine, it can produce a lot of vital information about what’s going on inside the engine. The oil doesn’t even have to be at the end of its cycle to tell you if your engine is healthy or not; even idling with clean oil will show different information on an oil analysis. Looking at an oil analysis, you’ll see tons of data, and it’s important to know what to look out for when reading one.

The analysis will show you three major categories: wear, contaminants, and oil performance. Under the wear category, you’ll see various metals measured in parts per million. These metals show you how your engine is wearing and whether the oil is reducing friction properly. For example, finding aluminum can point to excess wear in the engine block or pistons, and copper can mean worn bearings. Ideally, you want to see little to no increase in the wear section, and if you do, you should have your engine looked at.

Contaminants can come from just about anywhere, and you want to make sure that there aren’t too many present in the oil. Finding contaminants like sodium, potassium, or silicon can mean you have a problem with leakage.

When analyzing the performance of the oil itself, you’ll look at the Total Base Number to determine how intact the oil is after it’s been used. Things like fuel can dilute the oil and make it less effective, and the oil is working to fight contaminant buildup.

Keep Your Engine Healthy with Regular Oil Changes

Do you want to make sure your engine is working its best? Then schedule an oil change today at Honda of Sumner! We specialize in all Honda models, including hybrids, and can help you make sure your oil is clean and your engine runs smoothly.